State police ID gunman in Blair County shooting

Gunman kills 3 before being shot by troopers

UPDATED 1:13 PM EST Dec 23, 2012

HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. -

A friend of a central Pennsylvania man who killed three people before dying in a gun battle with police says the shooter had been struggling with personal problems and had become fascinated with end-of-the-world predictions.

Several hundred people packed the Geeseytown Evangelical Lutheran Church on Saturday night for a prayer service remembering 58-year-old Kimberly Scott of Duncansville; 60-year-old Kenneth Lynn, and his 38-year-old son-in-law William Rhodes Jr., killed Friday morning by 44-year-old Jeffrey Lee Michael.

Bob Socie of Lakemont, a longtime friend of Michael's, told The (Altoona) Mirror that Michael had struggled for years with stress from two accidents involving his tractor-trailer and an acrimonious divorce and custody battle. Recently, he said, Michael was focused on apocalyptic predictions stemming from biblical prophecy and an ancient Mayan calendar.

State police released this statement Friday afternoon:

"The PA State Police today received a 911 call for shots fired at approximately 9 a.m. As troopers responded, a subject in a truck fired shots at the marked patrol cars as they passed. The subject then struck another marked patrol car head-on disabling both vehicles. The subject got out of the truck and began to fire into the marked patrol car, striking the trooper. The troopers returned gunfire striking and killing the male subject.

It was then discovered that there were three deceased persons at three different locations where the troopers were responding. It is believed that the male subject committed three homicides before encountering the troopers.

The PA State Police Troop G major case team was activated and investigators are currently examining four separate crime scenes -- interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence. The Blair County District Attorney is also on the scene.

Three members are currently being treated at the hospital for non-life threatening injuries. One trooper was struck by two bullets; one in the chest area, which impacted his body armor, and a second which struck his wrist. A second trooper sustained injuries associated with shattered glass and shrapnel to the face from gunfire. These two are expected to be released from the hospital today. The third member is currently under evaluation for injuries sustained in the motor vehicle crash."

Copyright 2012 by WGAL. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.